Toronto Drain & Plumbing Blog

We were pleasantly surprised and thrilled to learn that we had been selected as the Plumber of choice in the 2009 Toronto Life’s Best of the City issue for 2009  (page 52 of the print edition)

At the time we found out, we didn’t have a copy of the magazine (we now have several). We actually learned of the honour when our phone started to ring off the wall. We’re incredibly appreciative of the recognition, and in particular, that the article pointed out the key elements of how we operate. Once again, what someone else says about you is much more powerful than anything you could ever say about yourself - in business, at least!

Thanks Toronto Life , and thanks to the great folks of our city for supporting us!

Terry

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The Home Renovation Tax Credit lets Canadian homeowners deduct 15% of their home renovations bill, up to $1350 in the form of a tax credit for their Canadian income tax returns until February 10, 2010.

You really should be taking advantage of this. Not to sound like too much of a cynic, but when’s the last time anyone gave you money back for anything you did? Plus, we’ve all paid more than our fair share of taxes, so getting a break like this is a rare opportunity, one that’s not to be missed.

Now here’s where I tell you why I think hiring a plumbing and drain specialist make sense to include in your next reno project.

The three most popular home reno projects are kitchens, bathrooms and basements. There’s a reason for this: making improvements to any of these areas greatly improves the livability of your space and the resale value of your home. Just ask any real estate agent.

While plumbing and drains may not be your first thought, our work is certainly a key component in each of these three popular renovations. For example, consider a basement reno: it would be a complete shame to do a bunch of work, only to later experience the anxiety, damage and inconvenience caused by a sewage back up. And folks, if you live in the GTA, drain and plumbing work becomes essential. Here’s why:

The simple truth is that our city has so many trees that have infiltrated our sewer and drain systems, that I may never be able to retire when the time does come. Tree roots and aging infrastructure represent a menace to many Toronto homeowners, but in truth, are not that complicated or expensive for a pro to fix. You may even qualify for a rebate from the City of Toronto just for hiring us to fix the problem.

There are many things that a renovator and homeowner can be hands on about throughout the renovation process, but ensuring drain health probably isn’t one. It’s a costly nightmare for a generalist or worse, a homeowner to attempt.

Ultimately, the value of the tax credit is that it will reduce the cost of your renovation project and save you some money - provided you use it. Whatever your renovation project might be, just remember that it will certainly involve a variety of skills and services, so no matter how you hire them, just be sure you do so in a way that protects your home and lets you take advantage of this rare break.

Terry

Ted & Sylvia in Etobicoke
re: problems with toilet

They sent somebody within the hour even though it wasn’t a “rush/emergency” and Mike Dunn assessed the situation and gave me some options and costs and recommended what he thought should be done without doing unnecessary and expensive work. Work was done very professionally and everything was cleaned up afterwards.

Visit HomeStars.com for more reviews.

Contact DrainWorks Etobicoke Plumbing and Drain Services

Hillcrest Ali
re: Sewage pipe replacement

For the second time in as many months our basement toilet was backing up and water was coming up the basement drain. We knew our heavily treed lot was causing problems with the old clay pipes. Armando was over within 3 hours of our call and spent 2-3 hours diagnosing our situation. We got our quote and 2 days later the job was complete, Armando was patient in explaining everything to us and we felt the guarantee policy of the company made the quality of the work reliable. Perhaps could have gotten a slightly cheaper job done, but we feel we can be confident that Drainworks will stand behind their job. When you’re digging up your driveway, you want it done right the first time. The crew that did the work were also very nice and left the site very tidy.

Visit HomeStars.com for more reviews.

Contact DrainWorks today!

How a culture of disservice allows any smart, hard-working
company to trounce larger, richer competition where it matters most:
in the hearts and minds of customers.

Are you like me? When you call a phone company or a credit card
company and the recording asks you to punch in your account
information, do you wonder why in the world when a person finally
arrives on the line that the first question they ask you is the same
question the recording did? What an insult and a time-waster!

Your call is important to us is a lie. Plain and simple. If my call
was important, a person would answer it. They would ask me very few
questions, because they would be working with sophisticated technology
that would make it easier for them to serve me, an existing, loyal
customer who pays my bills on time, thus supporting their company and
by virtue of that, the job of the person on the other end of the
telephone.

See? Not so important, are we?

So just why does so much of what is called “customer service” remain
so god-awful poor?

I believe that the trouble often starts with growth. I know:
disservice isn’t limited to large companies. Small companies can be
just as guilty. It’s just that many large companies seem to write
textbook cases on how not to treat a loyal customer. It’s a pretty
simple story: when you start to put all of your focus on sales, you
ultimately sacrifice service, which means you sacrifice the interests
and well-being of your customers.

Larger companies, for a variety of reasons, end up focusing on the
wrong things. Their obsession with sales means they lose sight of the
fact that a loyal, happy customer is infinitely cheaper and more
profitable than trying to buy new customers at the cost of previous
loyalties. That of course, has been a great advantage for for our
company.

Satisfied customers are profitable, but they do require service.
Actually, what they really require are manners, appreciation and
accountability. Is it really so ludicrous that a customer who promptly
pays their bill should have to work so damn hard to be considered,
respected or responded to? I sure don’t think so. But hey, don’t take
my word for it. Talk with your family, friends and co-workers. How
many of them love the service they receive? It’s a pretty short list,
isn’t it?

There’s something really, really wrong with any business culture
(regardless of company size) that uses nothing but raw sales numbers
as the only guide to justify what kind of common sense and courtesy
they will provide to their customer base.

Courtesy is something any smart owner-operated business understands.
Small businesses, most of which having very limited marketing
resources, will not survive very long without a believable and
sustainable level of respect for customers. That respect has to be
demonstrated in repeated actions, not just in words. That requires
sacrifice and a willingness to do the right thing, which is always a
little more work than cutting corners, isn’t it?

I got started in this business because I saw a massive disconnect
between what the industry was offering consumers and what would
constitute great customer service. The bar was set so low I couldn’t
possibly fail. You know, provided I did the right thing for the
customer, over and over and over…

We aren’t special, we just understand how precious happy customers
are, and in this economy can you think of anything more important than
a happy customer?

We look forward to your call and guaranteed, you won’t be disappointed
with the way we greet you.

Terry

Shona in The Junction
re: Main Drain Scope

I called Drainworks after reading the other reviews. My husband and I have just bought a home in the Junction area, and the home has been in renovations for about a year. Our home inspector recommended we get our sewer scoped to make sure that the renos didn’t clog our main drain, and that the tree in the front yard wasn’t growing into our pipes.

I called Drainworks and made an appointment. They don’t quote over the phone, they arrive and see what’s what and give you a quote, and then you have a choice to go ahead with the work.

Armando from Drainworks suggested we scope the drain to see what was happening. We watched the scope and he explained what we were looking at. After checking it out and discussing his findings with my husband and me, he made some suggestions for work on the main drain to make sure that we don’t have plumbing problems in the future. He wrote up a quote for the work and was very helpful in answering all our questions.

All in all the experience was very comfortable, and I really enjoyed watching the scope. We will be calling them again.

Visit HomeStars.com for more reviews.

Contact DrainWorks today!

Don & Sharon, St. Andrew’s
re: Partial replacement of both storm and sanitary drains

A river of water was coming up through the basement floor by the water meter, fortunately running about 10 feet into the floor drain. It ran for 5 days steady. After confirming with the City it wasn’t a broken water pipe, I called three companies for help and quotations. One said I have to replace the entire sanitary and storm system; another eyeballed the situation and gave a quote. Armando from DrainWorks came when he said he would. He was polite, professional and spent a good deal of time looking at the situation in the basement and talking with me about possible causes. He then looked outside at the pipes, put the camera down both the storm and sanitary pipes explaining exactly what we were seeing. I have an older home with no cleanouts inside or out so using a snake was impossible. After a thorough inspection and understandable discussion, he suggested that digging out the existing storm and sanitary pipes and installing new piping, traps, with cleanouts to and from the house, would be his recommendation. He said he hoped that would resolve the problem and would be the most cost effective step for me to take at the time. His pricing was very reasonable, the crew were there the next day, very polite and professional. Armando and other DrainWorks people came by often during the day and were sincerely pleased when tree roots in the storm trap had caused the problem. They ran the camera throughout the drains, explained exactly what the system looked like, did a thorough clean-up of the job site and left the place as clean as before they came. If anyone has a plumbing/drain problem, I highly recommend they look no further than DrainWorks.

Visit HomeStars.com for more reviews.

Contact DrainWorks today!

As plumbing and drain guys, we meet a lot of people and answer a lot of water and plumbing related questions. Here are some answers and tips you might find valuable

My water pressure is really low. What are the causes of low water pressure?
A lack of water pressure or low pressure is one of the most common complaints people have with their residential plumbing systems.

There can be many factors contributing to the problem. For instance, your home’s elevation in relation to the water source can be a cause low pressure, because water loses its gravitational force as it passes over peaks and valleys en route to your home.

Low water flow from a faucet or showerhead is often interpreted as low water pressure. Low water flow from a faucet or showerhead can be the result of a water-conserving flow restrictor that can be found in some taps and showerheads.

Low water flow can also be caused by a constriction somewhere in the water line. Water line constriction can have several causes. In older homes, mineral deposits build up inside pipes. This is especially true with old galvanized iron pipes. On houses supplied by a municipal water system, be sure to check the shutoff valves on both sides of the house’s water meter to make certain that they are fully open. If either valve is partially closed, it will reduce pressure.

There can be several reasons for low water pressure, and if you really aren’t sure, you should call a plumbing and drains professional, for this is one area where their knowledge can be invaluable to you.

As plumbing and drain guys, we meet a lot of people and answer a lot
of water and plumbing related questions. Here are some answers and
tips you might find valuable

We just moved into a home with a very slow kitchen drain. What causes
kitchen clogs and how do I unclog it?

Fats or greases repeatedly poured or washed down a drain are often
cause kitchen clogs. Fatty deposits cool and solidify along the walls
of your pipes. Over time, these deposits trap other debris and before
long, your pipe is clogged shut. The best tip is to not let grease go
down the drain! Scrape fats away and deposit oils into a tin can or
container and dispose of it. When a drain is clogged first thing to
try is a plunger. If you are working in a kitchen with a double sink,
seal the drain in the other side with a cloth. Place the mouth of the
plunger over the clogged drain, and pump firmly several times. If you
succeed in freeing the drain, run some very hot water to refresh the
pipes. If plunging does not work, give us a call and we can help you
solve it.